I Don't Need Your Help
by jlo2018
Summary: One Shot What if Draco accepted Dumbledore's help? Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince


**Hello, Lovelies ! Long time, no see ! Bet you guys didn't see this coming, did you ? You're welcomes !**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Wizarding World of Harry Potter nor the characters in it. All belong to the queen, J.K. Rowling.**

 **Most of the stuff written was tweaked so that way it won't be exactly the same as the movie. If it is word for word, I made it so you knew, a.k.a. italicized. I'm telling you this now, so DON'T report me. Thank You.**

There was a resonating pop as two figures came into view on the top of the lonesome Astronomy tower. At first glance it doesn't seem anything out of the ordinary, but looking closely, one could see how the elder of the two leaned heavily on the other.

Harry Potter dragged Professor Dumbledore off the sit on the stone steps.

"We need to get you to the Hospital Wing, Sir! To Madam Pomfrey!"

Harry set the Professor down gently on the steps, seeing the pain he is feeling filter across his face. Harry felt helpless. This man, Dumbledore, the greatest wizard, is in so much pain and he is unable to do anything.

"Ach, no, Severus. Severus is who I need. Wake him up, Tell him what happened. Speak to no one else. Severus, Harry."

All Harry could think of was Why Snape, he needs help from a healer! But Harry respected Dumbledore's plea and started racing towards the door to get Snape. However, he stopped short when they both hear the bottom door of the Astronomy Tower open. Harry quickly turned to Dumbledore but noticed that he was getting up.

"Hide yourself below. Don't speak or be seen by anybody without my permission. Whatever happens, it's imperative you stay below. Harry, do as I say. Trust me."

Harry didn't look convinced. He wanted to stay with his Professor. He couldn't just leave him up here!

Right when Harry was about to protest, Dumbledore whispered, "Trust me."

After a moment, Harry nodded his head and ran down below, just as someone with white platinum hair ran up the stairs towards where Dumbledore was.

Up above, Dumbledore watched as Harry ran down the stairs, and waited patiently for Draco to run up. When the blonde haired got to the top step, his wand was raised, pointed direction towards his chest.

With a calm voice, Dumbledore stated, "Good evening, Draco. What brings you here, on this fine, spring evening?"

Draco's grip on his wand tightened and he spat out nervously, "Who else is here? I heard someone talking."

Dumbledore watched the young man and felt a small amount of pity for him. No one, especially a young mind like Draco, should be going through that torture.

"I often talk to myself on some occasions. You are no assassin, Draco."

Draco tensed in alarm. Am I... NO, he doesn't understand! "How would you know, old man? I've things that would shock you if you knew."

"Oh really? Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that she would then curse me? Or maybe like replacing a bottle of mead with one that was laced with poison? Forgive this 'old man' as you say, Draco, but I couldn't help feeling these actions are so weak that your heart couldn't really be in them."

Dumbledore just stood watching Draco calmly as sweat began to run down his face. Draco, himself, was having an internal conflict as he stood before a man he, over the years of being at Hogwarts, has come to respect, even if a little bit. His wand lowered slightly but then a flash behind his eyes and a shot of pain coursed through his body, making him flinch. No, I will succeed and accomplish the task that was given to me.

Draco's grip tightened around his wand, raising it back up. "He trusts me! I was chosen!" Draco grabbed the end of his sleeve, jerking it up, and making the black ink visible. His arms trembled from the slight pain that the Dark Mark is giving him.

Dumbledore looked at the Dark Mark with sad eyes but showed no other emotion on his face. "Draco... I shall make it easy for you, do not worry..." Dumbledore raised his wand, getting ready to do something, anything that would help the young man before him.

Seeing the wand being raised, Draco quickly went into defense, yelling out "Expelliarmus!" Dumbledore's wand flew out of his hand, landing a few feet away from them.

Dumbledore didn't seem phased at all, stating, "Very good, Very good."

Then, there were sounds of yelling and explosions off in the distance below them, towards the main part of the castle. Dumbledore looked off to the side for a second before turning towards Draco. "It seems you are not alone. How?"

It unnerved Draco that Dumbledore made it seem like they were having a normal conversation about the weather. His face twisted in a small scowl before stating, " In the Room of Requirement, there is a Vanishing Cabinet. I've been repairing it."

"Ah, let me guess, it has a sibling? A twin?"

Draco gave a slight nod. "At Borgin & Burke's. They form a passage between them."

The chaos that was happening below seemed to slowly become louder, as if it were coming closer to the Astronomy Tower. Dumbledore knew that he had to act fast, or else things would become a disaster. With his hand slowly but surely healing from the new potion that Severus has made, he's able to act and think more clearly without any worry. And right now his main focus is to assist the Malfoy Heir.

"Ingenius. Draco, many years ago, I met a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please, let me help you."

At this point, Draco broke down. He needs to do this. He has to kill Dumbledore, or else it will be him who will be killed. However, it was well known that Dumbledore is the most powerful Wizard of his time. He could probably help... Draco shook his head then.

"I don't want your help!" Lie. " Don't you understand at all?! I have to do this!" Do I really? "I have to kill you! Or else he's going to kill me..."

Draco tried to hold himself together, but it was getting harder and harder as reality truly set in his head. Either kill someone who is morally impossible to kill, or die himself. What has he got himself into...

Dumbledore slowly stepped closer towards Draco until he was standing only an arm's length away from him. He looked at the young man for a moment before whispering only one phrase:

"Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

Draco stood there, not moving an inch as he processed those words through his mind. So many possibilities that things that things could go bad, but then, if there were one person so surpass all of them, it would be Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stood patiently waiting as differently emotions quickly passed through Draco's face. He has no doubt what the Malfoy Heir will choose, he just didn't know how it would take him to finally realize that there was a better path than the one he is slowly starting to take.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Draco looked up at Dumbledore with an emotionless expression on his face and whispered, "I need help."

Dumbledore didn't smile. But you could see the twinkle in his eyes light up a bit and he gave Draco a small nod. Grabbing onto his shoulder, Dumbledore slightly glanced down below before apparating away with Draco in tow.

From below, Harry was looking at where Dumbledore and Draco were last standing with an expression of shock on his face. He couldn't believe what he just witnessed. He was so close to running up and attack Malfoy but he held himself still and quiet because he knew Dumbledore would not be happy with him if he did. Going over what Dumbledore had last said to Draco, he couldn't help but think back when that exact phrase was said to him. At the time , that expression had helped him a lot and now looking at how it is used with Draco, Harry understood. He understood more than one would see. It seems things have changed on both sides of the war."


End file.
